Festivals & Holidays

Gion Matsuri is an annual festival of Yasaka Jinja (Gion is an old name of this shrine), and it is one of the three biggest local festivals in Japan. The other two are Kondo Matsuri of Tokyo and Tenjin Matsuri of Osaka. But among these, Gion Matsuri is the most famous because of its gay atmosphere and long history, reproduced on a grand scale.
This festival is held from the 1st to the 31st of July and consists of various major and minor events. However, the highlight of the celebration takes place on the 17th, when 31 colorful floats (Yamaboko in Japanese) forming a long procession are pulled through the main streets of the ciry. The floats are decorated with many time-honored treasures and ornoments which distinguish each float.
It is said that the summer of Kyoto begins with the Gion Matsuri. The citizens of Kyoto do not feel that summer has arrived until this festival is held. Thus, the event is filled with delightful expectations. The colorful floats along with gay music proceeding under the summer like blue sky is certainly on exciting pageant.

YAMA-BOKO(The Floats)
There are two kinds of floats, one called Yama of which there are 23 and the other called Hoko consisting of 8. The Yama (weight: 1.2 ton - 1.6 ton) which are carried by long pales on the shoulders of about 16 men, are tastefully decorated with figures of legendary interest. The Hoko (weight: 4.8 ton - 12 ton, Height: about 24m) are set on four massive wooden wheels (diameter: 3m) and are drawn through the streets by groups of energic men.
All floats are set up in advance by the people living in the word to which each float belongs. (Hoko; July 10, yama; July 12). Then they are stationed at different points until the procession starts on the morning of the 17th. The order of the floats in the parade is decided by the drawing of lots at the City hall on July 2nd in the presence of the Mayor of Kyoto this year. As the procession starts at 9:00 a.m., the Mayor in an ancient costume confirms the order Kuji-Aratame, and is held on Sakai-machi-Shijo-dori.

The explanation of each float is as follows.
Remarks: Following names of the floats are not in order of the procession of this year because the order is decided on July 2nd.

Naginata Boko

This float is destined to lead the procession. It is also the only float that has a live "celestial" child attended by two page boys. The child is granted a special high ranking for the festival by Susano-o-no Mikoto, the deity of Yasaka Jinja during a ceremony on July 13.

Kanko Boko

A crescent is placed on the top of the pole, signifying the moon as seen at Kanko Barrier in ancient China. The Gobelin tapestry in the front describes a historical tale of Rome and the screen on the back contains calligraphy by saint Kobo (774-835).

Tsuki Boko

The crescent on the top of the pole represents the name of this float as Tsuki means moon. This float is full of precious fine arts, for example, the painting on the ceiling by Okyo Maruyama (1733-1795), and the carvings of the gobles by Jingoro Hidari (around 1600).

Niwatori Boko

The triangle with a circle on top of the pole signifies an egg and the unverse. It represents the turbulent period of the mythological age. The marvelous Gobelin tapestry on the rear depicts the story of Rome in the year 493 B.C.

Kikusui Boko

The celestial child doll is named "Kiku-jido" (Chrysanthemum child), who, according to a Chinese tale became an eternal youth by drinking chrysanthemum destroyed during the civil war of 1864 and the present one is the exact replica which was rebuilt in 1953.

Hoka Boko

Three disks attached to the top of the pole represent the sun, the moon and stars. Hence the name of this float is Hoka (beaming). It is also said that the image of Hokaso (juggler monk) enshrined in it is the origin of the name. The celestial chjild is a puppet.

Fune Boko

This float is built in the shape of the ancient ship. According to the Japanese tale, this ship was used for carrying the Japanese empress named "Jingu Kogo" who is still worshipped among the women as the Goddess if safe delivery. This float is also very popular for its unique style and gorgeous carvings which are put around all over the body.
The main fugures in the float are Empress Jingu Kogo and "Ryujin", the God of Sea.

Ayagasa Boko

Although having a float name, Ayagasa Boko is actually a huge parasol which is made of gorgeous Nishijin fabrics. Followed by dancers and a music troop, a man wearing a bear mask carries this parasol in the procession. This marching style is the same done in the early period of Gion Matsuri Tradition. Today's Ayagasa (parasol) is the 1979 remake.

Hosho Yama

The armor-clad figure holding a branch of plum blossoms represents the warrior Hosho (956-1036) who was going to get some of the blossoms from the Emperor's garden, risking his life in order to please his girl friend, a court lady.

Urade Yama

"Urade" means divination in Japanese. According to the Japanese tale, this float depicts the story of Empress Jingu Kogo, the Goddess of safe dlivery who goes fishing to divine her luck by the amount of fish which she catches.
The figure of Empress Jingu Kogo on this float holds a fishing line in her left hand and a fishing pole in her right hand.

Ashikari Yama

The scene on this float was derived from "Ashikari", one of the Noh Plays. The story is that, at the reunion of a couple, long separated, the man was found to have led a miserable life of cutting reeds on the seashore.

Hakuraku-ten Yama

This scene represents two men, Hakuraku-ten, an old Chinese poet, and Dorin, a Chinese priest of Zen Buddhism, discussing questions of Zen.

Abura-Tenjin Yama

This is a portable shrine of Kitano Temmangu, which is dedicated to Michizane Sugawara (845-903) who was a scholar serving the Emperor and who was one of the three best calligraphers of Japan.

Arare-Tenjin Yama

This is also a portable shrine of Kitano Temmangu. (See the above article, "Abura-Tenjin Yama".)

Yamabushi Yama

The figure with a rosary and a hatchet in its hand represents Jozakisho, a Yamabushi (itinerant priest) of the early 10th century. It is said that he is the one who straightened the leaning pagoda of Yasaka Jinja through prayer.

Taisha Yama

The figure on this float represents the Japanese Crown Prince Shotoku Taishi of the 6th century and is a work of the famous sculptor Unkei of the 13th century. While other Yama floats are surmounted with pine trees, this one has a cedar tree.

Tokusa Yama

This scene is derived from one of the Noh Plays. An old man, when he was cutting mare's tails (tokusa in Japanese) on a mountain, happened to meet his son who had been kidnapped a long time before.

Kita Kannon Yama

This float is dedicated to the Yoryu Kannon (the Merciful Goddess) and Idaten (a gurdian deity). These statues were carved by a well-known artist named Sadaharu Hokyo.

Minami Kannon Yama

This float is dedicated to the Yoryu Kannon (the Merciful Goddess). Originally the whole statue was a work of Eshin Sozu (942-1017). Due to a fire, however, the head is the only original part now remaining.

Hashi-Benkei Yama

The fighting on Gojo Bridge in Kyoto, between the monk-warrior Benkei in armor and a young boy, Ushiwaka-maru, is a scene depicted in the Noh Play "Hashi Benkei". The tapestries are products of the Ming Dynasty of China.

Suzuka Yama

According to a Japanese tale the peaceful life in the village of Suzuka was threatened by a demon who come out every night and attacked inhabitants and travelers. The Goddess Suzuka, to whom this float is dedicated, encountered the demon and defeated him.
This is, the only Yama float which has three figures; En-no-gyoja, on ascetic in the middle, Hitokoto-nushi, who built a long stone bridge by order of En-no-gyoja, standing on the left, and Goddess Kazuraki, standing on the right. The idea of the float is taken from an old Japanese fable.

Jomyo Yama

This float depicts a scene in the Heike Monogatari (Tale of heike) in 1180 during a civil war. On the River Uji a warrior-monk Ichirei jumped over his fellow monk Jomyo's head ti kead the van.

Kuronushi Yama

The figure of the old man is Otomo-no-Kuronushi, a poet from around the 10th century. It is said that he is an incarnation of the deity, Shiga Myojin.

Moso Yama

The figure represents a dutiful son who dug bamboo-shoots for his mother on a cold. snowy day in ancient China.

Koi Yama

The thema of this float comes from a Chinese tale that if a carp (Koi) could swim up Ryumon - waterfall it would become a dragon. The shrine is dedicated to Susano-o-no-Mikoto, a powerful deity in a Japanese tale. Most of the tapestries are really gorgeous, produced in the 15th century in Brussels, Belgium.

Hachiman Yama

The image of the War God, Iwashimizu Hachiman, in the miniature shrine on this float was made by Unkei, a great sculptor of the 13th century.

Iwato Yama

Based on a Japanese tale. "Ama-no-Iwato" (The Gate of the Celestial Rock Cave), this float is dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami, the sun Goddess. The tapestry on the front has been imported from europe, while the one in back is a Chinese brocade.

Kakkyo Yama

There is a figure of Kakkyo on this float. Kakkyo is a poor man who lived in china in the 3rd century. He was about to bury his son alive so his son's share of food could be given to his mother. When he was digging in the ground, he hit a potful of gold coins, which saved his son's life and made them rich.

Hakuga Yama

This float contains a figure of Hakuga, who was a Chinese virtuoso of Koto (Harp) of the 4th century. He destroyed his harp with a hatchet when his bosom friend, Shoshiki died.

Toroh Yama

Based on ancient Chinese poems "Monzen", this float expresses an ancient idea of bravery which was inspired by a montis. There is an old court mobile and a huge mechanical mantis. After having a long absence since 1878, this float was restored in 1979.